Reversible and angular control for propellers



REVERSIBLE AND ANGULAR CONTROL FOR PROPELLERS Filed Oct. 10, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor:

Feb. 15, 1944. DREXLER EAL 2,341,911

REVERSIBLE AND ANGULAR CONTROL FOR PROPELLERS Filed Oct. 10, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fake/r4 Barbe); Sr:

. Q 9 a y Feb. 15, 1944. J. L. DREXLER EI'AL REVERSIBLE AND ANGULAR CbNI'ROL FOR PROPELLERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 10, 1942 m t m m 5zmarbL.FrexZef Packard Banker 5r:

- Jim Patented Feb. 15, 1944 4 REVERSIBLE AND AN GULAR CONTROL FOR PROPELLERS Joseph L. Drexler and Simon L. Drexler, Thibodaux, and Richard Barker, Sr., Lockport, La.

Application October 10, 1942, Serial No. 461,620

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements incontrol means for propellers, and more particularly to a control for reversing and angularly setting the propellers of air propeller driven boats and other vehicles.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a control which can be easily operated in order to set an air propeller to any position desired.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a control for air propeller driven vehicles, which will permit shifting of a propeller to any angular position to cause turning of the craft or positioning of the propeller for driving the craft rearwardly.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational view.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view.

Figure 5 is a section on line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the clutch means.

Figure 7 is a section on line l| of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen in Figure 1 that numeral 5 denotes a suitable power plant from which extends a drive shaft 6.

The drive shaft 6, as shown in Figure 4, is connected by a universal joint I to a short shaft 8 which extends through a suitable bearing structure 9 and into a gear housing I0, this gear housing H] including a removable bottom I l, and preferably contains a suitable lubricant.

Numeral :2 denotes a post rising from the top of the case 10, this being of hollow construction and being suitably bolted, as at 13, to the case it).

The upper end of the post 12 has a circumferential flange 14 having an upstanding periph-- eral rib I5 to which an inwardly disposed annulus I6 is bolted, as at IT;

Numeral l8 denotes an upper post section provided at its lower end with a circumferential flange l9 interposed between the flange l4 and the annulus It, as shown in Figure 6.

Circumscribing the lower end of the post section I8 is a collar 20 having laterally disposed pintles 2! which extend through the adjacent ends of a fork 22, this fork having an operating arm 23 and being fulcrumed on ears 24 rising from the annulus I6. 1

Lugs 25 project laterally from the collar 20 and have upstanding pins 26 slidably disposed through overlapping lugs 2'! located on brackets 28 rising from the annulus I6. Coiled compression springs 29 are provided 'on the pins 25 and interposed between the lugs 25, 25, obviously for holding the collar 20 in a downward position.

The collar 29 has depending studs 30, 30 which are disposable through registering openings in the annulus it and flange l9. As shown in Figure 8, the flange 19 at the lower end of the post section [8 has extra openings to the end that the upper post section 18 can be held in various positions and even act in entirely reverse position, as suggested in broken lines in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 4, the inner end of the short shaft 8 has a pinion 33 meshing with a gear 34 on the lower end of a vertically disposed shaft 35 which is disposed upwardly through bearings 36, 31 in the post sections l2 and [8.

The upper end of th shaft 35 has a gear 38 thereon and this gear is located within a gear housing 39. The gear 38 meshes with a pinion 40 on a propeller shaft 4|, on which shaft is a propeller 42.

It can now be seen that with the studs 30, 30 engaged into certain openings of the flange IS, the upper post section l8 and the propeller 42 will be held in the position shown in Figure 1. However, by disconnecting the usual clutch of the power plant 5 and exerting a pull on a line 42 from the arm 23, the studs 30, 30 will be lifted from the flange [9. By now slightly engaging the clutch of the power plant 5 and simultaneously releasing the arm 23, the upper post section l8 and the propeller 42 will be swung approximately 45 degrees, this for the purpose of causing the boat or other vehicle to execute a turn. Of course, if this angular disposition of the propeller is not desired, the clutch studs 30, 30 can be kept elevated until approximately the proper openings have been reached, as for instance, when it is desired to reverse the position of the propeller to the broken line position shown in Figure 1.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

'1. In combination, a power plant, a vertical s aft rotatably mounted, a drive shaft between the power plant and the lower end of the vertical shaft, a propeller, a shaft for the propeller in driven connection with the upper end of the vertical shaft, a pair of tubular post sections containing the vertical shaft, the post sections being vertically. aligned and swivelly connected end to end the upper post section carrying the propeller shaft and propeller, and clutch means between the post sections, said swiveled connection comprising a flange on the upper end of the lower post section, an annulus carried by the'flange, the lower end of the upper post section being provided with a flange interposed between the annulus and flange of the lower post section, said annulus and upper post section flange being formed with openings, said clutch means including a pi adapted to be inserted and removed with respect to said openings.

2. In combination, a power plant, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted, a drive shaft between the power plant and the lower end of the vertical shaft, a propeller, a shaft for the propeller in driven connection with the upper end of the vertical shaft, a pair of tubular post sections containing the vertical shaft, the post sections being vertically aligned and swivelly connected end to end, the upper post section carrying the propeller shaft and propeller, clutch means between the post sections, said swiveled connection comprising a flange on the upper end of the lower post section, an annulus carried by the flange, the lower end of the upper post section being provided with a flange interposed between the annulus and flange of the lower post section, said annulus and upper post section flange being formed with openings, said clutch means including a pin adapted to be inserted and removed with respect to said openings, and spring means for normally holding the pin into registering openings of the annulus and upper post section flange.

3. In combination, a power plant, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted,"a drive shaft between the power plant and the lower end of the vertical shaft, a propeller, a shaft for the propeller in driven connection with the upper end of the vertical shaft, a pair of tubular post sections containing the vertical shaft, the post sections being vertically aligned and swivelly connected end to end, the upper post section carrying the propeller shaft and propeller, clutch means between the post sections, said swiveled connection comprising a flange on the upper end of the lower post section, an annulus carried by the flange, the lower end of the upper post section being provided with-a flange interposed between the annulus and "flange of the lower post section, said annulus and upper post section flange being formed with openings, said clutch means including a'pinadapted to be inserted and removed with respect to said openings, spring means for normally holding the pin into registering openings of the annulus and upper post section flange, and'remote control means for controlling said pin.

JOS. L. DREXLER.

SIMON L. DREXLER.

RICHARD BARKER, SR. 

